August 7, 2019 UPDATE

President Iohannis to be received by US President Donald Trump at the White House on August 20

Newsroom, 07.08.2019, 19:59

VISIT The President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, will be received at the White House on August 20 by the US President Donald Trump. The announcement was made last night in Bucharest and Washington. The White House news release reads that President Donald Trump looks forward to celebrating together with his Romanian counterpart 30 years since the fall of communism in Romania and the 15th year of Romanias membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. The White House also announced that the 2 leaders will discuss how best to meet the many shared security challenges facing the United States and Romania and ways to advance fair and reciprocal trade and energy partnerships. According to the Romanian Presidency, Klaus Iohannis will emphasise that Romania will continue to be a reliable strategic partner and a responsible and trustworthy ally of the US.

CARACAL INVESTIGATION Romanian investigators Wednesday resumed searches at the Caracal home of Gheorghe Dincă, who alleged, after being apprehended more than a week ago, that he had killed and then incinerated 2 teenagers. On Tuesday, the investigators found in a forest near Caracal new bone and tooth fragments, which forensic experts found to be human. So far, only traces of 15-year old Alexandra Macesanus DNA were found in the ashes at Gheorghe Dincăs residence. A number of people were questioned and storage devices were searched. An outrageous series of mistakes made by the authorities in relation to the case has already led to high-level dismissals and resignations. The prosecutor division of the Higher Council of Magistrates requested the Judicial Inspection unit to check the activity of the Directorate Investigating Organised Crime and Terrorism and the prosecutors offices attached to courts, focusing on the way of handling criminal cases involving human trafficking and child trafficking, as well as offences like kidnapping and manslaughter in cases of missing persons. On Wednesday, State Secretary with the Interior Ministry Raed Arafat presented PM Viorica Dăncilă with a report on ways to improve the emergency call tracking system. Arafat coordinates an inter-ministerial committee set up in late July in the wake of the Caracal case.

NAVY The Romanian Black Sea port of Constanţa launched a series of events devoted to Navy Day, traditionally celebrated on August 15. On Wednesday, the Day of sea resources and navy education, military divers held diving workshops for the 80 winners of a Facebook competition. Also, the military port hosted a ceremony welcoming the Mircea Training Ship from a sail devoted to the celebration of the vessels 80 years in the service of the Romanian Navy. Mircea sailed more that 8,500 miles in 93 days and stopped in 12 European ports, welcoming over 12,000 visitors on board. Until August 15, other Danube and Black Sea ports will also host concerts, book launches and interactive workshops devoted to the Romanian Navy Day.

REPATRIATION A group of 15 people, Romanian citizens and their Syrian families, were repatriated on Tuesday via Turkey, the Romanian Foreign Ministry announced. The operation was completed with support from the Romanian embassies in Damascus and Ankara, of the Romanian Consulate in Istanbul and of Romanias Honorary Consul in Iskenderun. The Foreign Ministry also mentioned that since the start of evacuation operations in Syria, in 2011, 784 Romanian citizens and their families have been repatriated. At present, the Romanian Embassy in Damascus provides assistance and consular protection to citizens from various states, including Australia, Canada, France, the Republic of Moldova, Portugal, and others, based on individual requests.

DIASPORA Nearly 9,000 Romanian citizens who intend to vote in this autumns presidential election, whether by post or in polling stations abroad, had enrolled on the dedicated online platform until Wednesday. The Romanian citizens who wish to vote by mail must fill in an online form posted on www.votstrainatate.ro, enclosing a scan or photo of their ID and a copy of the document proving their right to stay in a foreign country. The registration forms will be active until September 11. Approximately 9.7 million Romanians live abroad, according to data communicated by 70 diplomatic missions and centralised by the Ministry for the Romanians Abroad.

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)